Board games have been popular throughout history. Even with the recent onset of electronic games, traditional board games, such as chess and checkers, have retained their popularity.
Chess and checkers have been in existence for over thousands of years, dating back to ancient Egypt. The rules of the games have varied with time, but a set of standardized rules has evolved for the game of chess, as we know it today. These standardized rules provide for 32 pieces in total, having two colors, typically, 16 dark pieces and 16 light pieces. These pieces are assigned different roles or capacities which define various movements (for advancement and/or capture) for the game of chess.
Just as there have been numerous variations of chess prior to the establishment of the standardized rules, there have been numerous variations since. Some of the more recent variations include the use of a single board or level, with skewed squares, such as that of "Doubles Chess".TM., a chess game for four players, and the use of squares forming a non-rectangular playing area, such as that of "Chess4".TM., a chess game manufactured by WOW Toys, Inc., also for four players. There have also been variations expanding the traditional game of chess for two players from two-dimensions (a single tier or level) to three-dimensions (multiple tiers or levels).
The expansion to three dimensions, while increasing the degree of challenge, often significantly complicates the rules of play. For example, where current three-dimensional board and chess games enable pieces to move between tiers or levels, the number of available offensive and defensive movements are often increased dramatically. Whereas a player of two-dimensional chess has to consider offensive and defensive movements only on a single tier, a player of three-dimensional chess has to also consider offensive and defensive movements on as well as between the multiple tiers. These more complicated board and chess games are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,033,751 and 5,112,056 issued to Ching, 5,193,813 issued to Goff, 5,338,040 issued to Cutler. A three-tiered chess game is also disclosed in "Space Chess".TM., a chess game manufactured by Chessex in Berkeley, Calif.
Conventional board games employ traditional chess movements. A need exists for games with new pieces and movements to make the game more challenging or interesting and to modernize the game using contemporary elements of warfare.
In one preferred embodiment, the present game provides two tiers, the upper tier being smaller than the lower tier. For example, the upper tier may be a six square by six square board and the lower tier may be an eight square by eight square board. The upper tier may be mounted onto one or more support columns extending vertically from the lower tier.
Furthermore, the present game provides role-static pieces and role-altering pieces, the latter pieces being able to assume more than one role during the present game. For example, the role-altering pieces can change roles when they move between the upper and lower tiers, or when they participate captures, that is, capturing or being captured. Also, the roles of the role-altering pieces may include roles that are similar to and/or different from those of the role-static pieces.
In one preferred embodiment, the role-static pieces are Kings, Queens, Rooks and Knights. For purposes of facilitating discussion herein, Pawns are also referred to as role-static pieces, except that, in one preferred embodiment, the Pawns can be promoted to Kings, Queens, Rooks, Knights or Bishops when the Pawns have moved completely across the lower tier.
Also, in one preferred embodiment, the role-altering pieces are modern elements of warfare, such as Helicopters and Planes, the Helicopters being able to assume the role of either the Planes or the Pawns, and the Planes being able to assume the role of the Bishops. For example, a Helicopter is limited to movement on the upper tier unless it captures an opponent's piece directly below on the lower tier. After the capture, the Helicopter becomes a Pawn and is limited to movement on the lower tier as the Pawn. However, if a Helicopter remains on the upper tier and travels completely across the upper tier, it has the option of either (i) becoming a Plane and still remain on the upper tier or (ii) moving directly down to the lower tier (without capturing) and becoming a Pawn.
As concerning the Planes, a Plane is limited to movement on the upper tier unless it captures an opponent's piece directly below on the lower tier. After the capture, the Plane becomes a Bishop on the lower tier and is limited to movement on the lower tier as the Bishop.
To emphasize the change in roles or capacities, the role-altering pieces can be physically altered to reflect or signify their different roles. For example, the Helicopters may have removable upper blade portions positionable on lower portions which resemble the Pawns. Also, for example, the Planes may have removable upper wing portions positionable on lower portions which resemble the Bishops.
In one preferred embodiment, the present game permits or allows only selective pieces to travel between tiers, for example, the King, Queen, Rook, Helicopter and Plane. And, of these pieces, the role-static pieces can travel between tiers without changing their roles.
Also, in one preferred embodiment, the present game allows only selective pieces to return to their original tier once they have changed tiers. For example, only the Queen and the Rook may return to the lower tier once they have travelled to the upper tier, whereas the Helicopters and the Planes cannot return to the upper tier after they have moved to the lower tier.
As such, the present game provides increased challenges while maintaining the rules of play at an acceptable level of complexity. The present game provides a range of variations which are substantially easy to learn and master. The range of variations may be determined by the players themselves, by selecting when and where to change the roles of the role-altering pieces. For example, where the role-altering pieces have roles different from the role-static pieces, the present game can be relatively more complex and challenging. Where the role-altering pieces have roles similar to the role-static pieces, the present game can be easier to play and less complex. Accordingly, for less-experienced players who wish to maintain the rules of play at a comfortable level, the game can be played with a limited number of different roles, though the increased number of pieces will increase the degree of challenge. For more-experienced players who wish to elevate the rules of play and substantially increase the degree of challenge, the game can be played with a greater number of different roles with increased number of pieces. These, as well as other features of the invention, will become apparent from the detailed description which follows, considered together with the appended drawings.